The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods for eliminating or reducing breath odors caused by sulfur-containing compounds produced when food products and medicines are ingested. More particularly, it relates to eliminating or reducing breath odors by adsorbing sulfur-containing compounds and their constituents and derivatives contained in foods composed of garlic or onions.
Many chemicals and food products contain sulfur-containing compounds, which possess a strong odor. Ingestion of the chemical or food product often results in breath having undesirable odors from either the ingested compounds, from their metabolites, or both. Garlic and onions are foods with particularly strong sulfur odors and cause particularly undesirable breath odors.
Garlic and other food products and chemicals comprise or produce various sulfur-containing constituents, including allicin, alliin, and diallyl disulfide. The sulfur-containing compounds that have been found to result from ingestion of garlic or other food products and chemicals include allyl mercaptan, diallyl disulfide, dimethyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide, methyl allyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide, diallyl sulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, methyl allyl trisulfide, and allyl thiol.
The elimination of sulfur odor, including odor from foods such as garlic and onions, and from medicines has been attempted using various chemical compounds and processes. Many of these attempts involved removing odor from the breath of an individual.
It has been reported that both chlorophyll and lemon juice will eliminate the odor associated with consumption of garlic. Further, a combination of cardamom seeds, menthol, coriander, essential oils, and chlorophylls has been used to prevent bad breath. Green tea flavonoid and cyclodextrin have both been used to freshen breath. In addition, cyclodextrin has been used to deodorize garlic extracts. Corrinoids also have been used to prevent sulfur odor in certain pharmaceuticals.
Attempts to obtain an odor-free garlic have included treating with ethanol and alpha enzyme; dried egg yolk and egg shell; myo-inositol hexaphosphate ester, egg powder, or both; magnesium hydroxide; a suspension of calcium (and/or magnesium) salt, alginate, zeolite, and diatomaceous earth; sodium bicarbonate and a mixture of organic acids; alpha and beta unsaturated organic acids; minced pork meat and powdered carrot leaves; silica gel, phytic acid, and zinc salts; carbonate and acetic acid; a solution of sweet sake, vinegar, citric acid, and egg whites; Vitamin C and various dried plant parts; magnesium oxide powder; and drying by heating in a carbon dioxide atmosphere. A common problem with many of these compositions and methods is that they alter the flavor of foods or orally ingested medicines when incorporated into those foods or medicines.
Additionally, sulfur adsorbents have generally been used for removal of sulfur dioxide, instead of reduced forms of sulfur, such as hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, and allyl sulfides, which are commonly found in garlic and its derivatives. Generally, the previously used compounds include carbon and copper, copper oxides, copper carbonate on cellulose, clinoptilolite, and copper supported on aluminum silicate. These have not been incorporated into food.
Therefore, a need still exists for compositions and processes for adsorbing sulfur-containing compounds and eliminating or reducing sulfur odors, such as those found in garlic and onions and their derivatives and metabolites, which can be incorporated into foods and orally ingested medicines. To overcome the shortcomings of the conventional adsorbents and treatments to eliminate sulfur-based odors, new sulfur adsorbent compositions and methods for eliminating or reducing sulfur odors from breath are provided.
To achieve these and other objects, the present invention provides compositions for adsorbing sulfur-containing compounds to eliminate or reduce breath odors caused by garlic, onions, and other foods or medicines. These compositions may be provided in various forms, such as gum, spray, mint, or mouthwash, without hindering their flavor. These compositions are metal complexes having low solubility in an aqueous environment, comprising a substrate and a ligand and, optionally, a support. The ligand may comprise an amino acid whose side chain contains sulfur, nitrogen, or a carboxylic acid; the substrate may comprise a metal which complexes with the ligand. Optionally, the complex is contained in a carrier. In addition, a polystyrene-based strong cation exchanger complexed to a metal ion functions as a sulfur compound adsorbent.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the complex comprises a naturally occurring amino acid, a modified naturally occurring amino acid, or a non-naturally occurring amino acid, each of whose side chain contains sulfur, nitrogen, or a carboxylic acid, and a complexing metal. The complex is substantially insoluble in water or other aqueous environment and is distributed throughout a silica gel. The gel carrier having the complex distributed throughout is less soluble in an aqueous environment than the complex itself.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, methods for eliminating or reducing sulfur odors associated with the consumption of foods, such as garlic and onions, or medicines are provided. These methods comprise orally administering the sulfur adsorbent compositions of the present invention to an individual who has consumed a food or medicine that generates sulfur odors.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention.
The sulfur adsorbent compositions of the present invention comprise a complex of two components: a substrate and a ligand. The ligand is generally an amino acid and the substrate is a metal which complexes with the ligand. The components of the adsorbent compositions preferably have low solubility in water and are contained in a carrier. The low solubility of the complex allows for the adsorbent to be present longer at the site of adsorption, such as in the mouth.
The amino acid may be one whose side chain contains sulfur, such as cysteine or methionine; one whose side chain contains nitrogen, such as tryptophan, asparagine, glutamine, lysine, arginine, or histidine; or one whose side chain is a carboxylic acid, such aspartic acid, or glutamic acid. Both the naturally occurring form and a modified form of the amino acid may be used in the complex. Further, a non-naturally occurring amino acid whose side chain contains sulfur, nitrogen, or a carboxylic acid may be incorporated into the complex. For example, a non-naturally occurring amino acid, similar to cysteine, but with the methyl group of the CH2xe2x80x94SH side chain replaced with a similar alkyl group, such as an ethyl or propyl group, may be used.
A modified form of the amino acids contemplate minor changes to the amino acid not resulting in any substantial change in functionality. Oxidation is one type of modification that may be made to a naturally occurring amino acid. Cysteine may be modified by oxidation to form the diamino acid cystine.
The complexing agent is a metal, preferably, copper, zinc, iron, or any other suitable complexing metal. The carrier may be a gel, such as a silica gel, or any other suitable carrier material. The preferred adsorbent contains a complex of cystine (or cystine HCl) and copper in a silica gel.
The complex has low solubility in water or other aqueous environment. For example, when contacted with saliva, the complex remains a substantially undissolved solid for at least one hour in typical conditions of the human mouth.
The compositions are effective in eliminating or removing breath odors caused by sulfur-containing compounds. Examples of such odors are the odors caused by the substituents and metabolites of garlic. These may consist of allyl sulfides such as allicin and
The compositions may be in the form of a powder that allows their incorporation into chewing gum, mints, or other products, or in an alternative solid or liquid form, such as a mouthwash or a spray. The compositions do not affect the flavors of gum or other products in which they are incorporated. Specifically, the sulfur adsorbent compositions of the present invention do not affect the aroma of mint oil that is often present in chewing gum, mint formulations, or mouthwashes.
A metal complex with a material other than an amino acid can also be an effective sulfur odor-reducing composition. A compound having a strong cation exchanger as a functional group, such as sulfonic acid, may be complexed to a metal ion to form a complex active in removing odors from sulfur-containing compounds. As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cstrong cation exchangerxe2x80x9d has its conventional meaning, namely a compound which readily undergoes a reversible chemical reaction in which cations are interchanged between it and another compound. One type of strong cation exchanger is a polystyrene-based strong cation exchanger, formed from the monomer (C6H5CHCH2)n, and preferably having an SO3xe2x88x92 group at the 3xe2x80x2 position. For example, the polystyrene-based strong cation exchange resin, Dowex(copyright) 50W (from Dow Chemical Company), when complexed with a metal ion, is an effective sulfur adsorbent.
The composition of the present invention is administered by oral placement of the gum, mint, spray, mouthwash, or other vehicle for delivering the composition. Preferably, the composition remains in the mouth for a period of time sufficient to eliminate or reduce the sulfur-associated odor, up to about one hour.
The concentration of the adsorbent in the gum, mint, mouthwash, or spray can vary over a wide range and depend on a number of factors varying with each situation. These factors include the type of the complex, the odors being reduced, the form of the food, and the desired duration of effectiveness. In one example, a cystine-copper was added to gum a concentration of 0.3 wt. %. Also, when a carrier is used, the concentration of the metal complex in the carrier can also vary over a wide range. The concentration should not be so high as to adversely affect gelation of the carrier, but not so low as to be ineffective. A concentration of 20 wt. % complex in carrier has been found suitable.
Although reference is made herein to adsorption and adsorbent, this should not be read to exclude other mechanisms occurring to reduce odors. Although it is believed that adsorption is the primary mechanism for reducing odors, other mechanisms, such as absorption, may also occur.